Suction cup

Abstract

Herein disclosed a suction cup including: a suction cup body formed from an elastic material and having a surface on one side in the thickness direction thereof as a concave suction surface; and a spring element provided as a part of the suction cup body, having a concave shape along the suction surface, and capable of elastic deformation such as to energize a central part of the suction surface away from a surface to be sucked in the condition where the suction surface is in suction contact with the surface to be sucked.

1 . A suction cup comprising:
 a suction cup body formed from an elastic material and having a surface on one side in the thickness direction thereof as a concave suction surface; and   a spring element provided as a part of said suction cup body, having a concave shape along said suction surface, and capable of elastic deformation such as to energize a central part of said suction surface away from a surface to be sucked in the condition where said suction surface is in suction contact with said surface to be sucked.   
   
   
       2 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said spring element has   a central part located at said central part of said suction cup body, and   an annular part located at an annular part, other than said central part, of said suction cup body.   
   
   
       3 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said spring element is located at an annular part, other than a central part, of said suction cup body.   
   
   
       4 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said spring element has a configuration in which an elastic thin bar member is fabricated into a net-like form having a concave shape corresponding to said suction surface.   
   
   
       5 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said spring element has a configuration in which an elastic thin bar member is spirally wound into a shape corresponding to said suction surface.   
   
   
       6 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said spring element has   a piece including
 an elastic thin plate member and extending along a concave shape corresponding to said suction surface; and 
   said piece has a plurality of openings and small-width strips fringing said openings.   
   
   
       7 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said spring element includes   a plurality of mutually separated pieces each having
 an elastic thin plate member and extending radially from a central part of said suction cup body toward the periphery of said suction cup body. 
   
   
   
       8 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said spring element is embedded in the inside of said suction cup body.   
   
   
       9 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein a surface on the other side in the thickness direction of said suction cup body is a convex back surface; and   said spring element is attached to said back surface.   
   
   
       10 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein a surface on the other side in the thickness direction of said suction cup body is a convex back surface; and   a center shaft formed from a hard synthetic resin or metal and extending from a central part of said back surface of said suction cup body along the center axis of said suction surface and away from said back surface, is projected.   
   
   
       11 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 10 ,
 wherein the base end of said center shaft is fixed in the state of being embedded in the inside of said suction cup body;   said spring element is disposed in the state of being embedded in the inside of said suction cup body; and   said base end of said center shaft and said spring element are connected to each other.   
   
   
       12 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 10 ,
 wherein the base end of said center shaft is fixed in the state of being embedded in the inside of said suction cup body; and   said spring element includes
 a plurality of mutually separated pieces each having
 an elastic thin plate member and extending radially from a central part of said suction cup body toward the periphery of said suction cup body. 
 
   
   
   
       13 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 10 ,
 wherein the base end of said center shaft and said spring element are connected to each other; and   said base end of said center shaft and said spring element are attached to said back surface of said suction cup body.   
   
   
       14 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 10 ,
 wherein said center shaft and said suction cup body are integrally molded from the same material.   
   
   
       15 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said spring element is formed from a metal, a carbon material, or a fiber-reinforced plastic.   
   
   
       16 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said suction cup body is formed from a transparent elastic material.   
   
   
       17 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 16 ,
 wherein said spring element is colored.   
   
   
       18 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said suction cup body includes
 a gel layer; and 
   said gel layer is formed from a gel and attached to said suction cup body so as to constitute said suction surface.   
   
   
       19 . The suction cup as set forth in  claim 10 ,
 wherein said spring element is formed from a metal, a carbon material, or a fiber-reinforced plastic.